Hat box



Mal-ch21, 1933. M. STRUBLE- 1,902,313

HAT BOX Filed April 6, 1931 INV Y WWJ Zea/ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 21,1933 UNITED STATES 'MABEL STRUBLE, or NEW YORK, N, Y.

' HAT Application filed April 6,

A My invention relates to hat boxes. One of the objects of my inventionis to provide a hat box which is adapted to stand on end and which canbe used in an analogous manner to a wardrobe trunk. At the same time, Iaim to provide a hat box which is neat in appearance, easy to carry, andwhich keeps hats in fixed position.

The average hat box is of circular form with a fiat end cover. Hats areusually placed at random in such boxes, one in contact with another andwithout regard to movement of the -hats when the box is carried. It isawkward to carry such a box. Such a box is usually constructed to becarried with the cover up.

My improved hat box is preferably elongated between flat ends andcarried by a handle on the curved side. This provides easy carrying. Toprevent jostling of the hats when the box is carried by the side, Ipreferably provide hat retaining members. In order to give style to thebox, I make it of oval shape and this shape combines with the manner ofretaining the hats as I shall presently describe. My hat box may bestood on end and one or more hats may be removed without disturbingothers.

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing showing a preferred form of my novel hat box and onwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the outside of the hat box;

, Fig. 2 shows the hat box standing on end in position adapted to beused like a wardrobe trunk;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional View 49 taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 1 is an end view of the outside of the hat box;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken-on the line 55 of Fig. 3 andshowing a hat re- 43 taining member within the hat box;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a hat retaining member"-Figs. 5 and 6 showingthe adaptation of the circular hat retaining member to the oval hat box;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion BOX 1931. Serial No.527,964.

of a hat box showing a modified form of supporting means for hatretaining members;

Fig. 8 is a view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. I

The hat box comprises parallel end pieces 10 and 11 made of fabric orleather or other suitable luggage material. These end pieces arepreferably oval in shape as illustrated. In Fig. 1, line a representsthe major axis of the oval and the line Y) represents the minor axis ofthe oval.

A side member 12," also of fabric, leather or other suitable material,connects the end pieces 10 and 11, being curved to conform' to the ovaloutlines of the end pieces 10 and 11. Side member 12 is at right anglesto the end pieces. Inside corner angle stiffeners 13 made of leather,fabric or metal may be provided.

The side member 12 has an opening 14 therein which opening extendslongitudinally of the hat box. The opening is preferably rectangular, asshown. The opening 14 is closed by a door 15. This door may be madeintegral with the side member 12 or it may be formed of a separatepiece. The door is hinged to the side member adjacent the top end 11, asindicated at 16. Preferably the door is secured along the longitudinalsides of the opening by means of zippers comprising projections on thedoor and on the side member adjacent the opening, which projectionsco-operate with a sliding member to give a closure, in known manner. Thebottom of the door may be fastened by snap members 17. It will be seenthat the'opening 14 and the door 15 are substantially parallel to theplane through the major axes of the end pieces.

A handle 19 is provided on the side 12. This handle is approximatelyquarter way around on the side member from the door and is on'theportion of the side member of maximum curvature and substantially in theplane of the major axes ofthe oval ends. It will be seen that the hatbox is adapted to be carried horizontally but, when in use, is adaptedto stand on the bottom end 10. When stood on the bottom end, the door 15may be raised and the contents of the hat box are accessible from theside. Knobs 20 may be provided on the bottom 10 for standing the hat boxon the floor. Legs or knobs 21 may be provided to permit standing thehat box longitudinally with the handle 19 up.

Within the hat box is a plurality of hat retaining members 22. Each hatretaining member 22 comprises a circular frame 23 and cross members 24on which is mounted a hat pad 25 to which a hat may be pinned. Hatretaining members 22 may be made of pieces of wire. At the back end ofeach hat retaining member is a prong or double hooked piece 26. As shownin Fig. 3, this hook piece extends upwardly from the member 22 wheninclined, thence rearwardly and thence again upwardly. Secured to thetop and bottom re-enforcing rings 13 by rivets or the like is a metalsupport or frame member 27' containing a plurality of holes 28. Theprongs 26 may be inserted into the holes 28. The shape of the prongs issuch that when they are inserted in the holes, the upper portions willrest against the back of member 27 and the lower portions will restagainst the front of member 27 and thus the hat retaining members willbe supported in inclined position.

It will be understood that the horizontal projection of an inclinedcircular member is an oval. Therefore by inclining the members 22, theycan be made to fit the oval contour of the hat box. Furthermore, it willbe seen that the box then prevents the members 22 from movin therein.With reference to Fig. 3, the pro ections 26 prevent the members '22from swinging downward and the shape of the hat box prevents the members22 from swinging upward. The hat box being of yieldable material, thehat retaining members can, however, be swung upward when the door isopened by pressing the side of the hat box outward. This, however, isnot necessarysince the openings 28 can be, as shown, made wider than thewidth of the projectionsso that the hat retaining members can be removedand inserted by turning them,

so to speak, about a horizontal axis. It will be seen that the hatretaining members can be selectively placed within the'hat bag invarious positions. Itwill be obvious that the hat retaining members maybe of various shapes. I have shown in Fig. 3 several high hat retainingmembers and one low hat retaining member. It will thus be seen with theconstruction herein described that the hat box'can be carriedhorizontally and the hat retainingmembers will be held in position withthe movement. Consequently, the hats'will be properly retained withoutcontact with each other and in fixed positions. The hat retainingmembers may be covered by clothor-other' fabric. It will be seen thatthe hats can be readily'removed and inserted,

either by taking them off the hat retaining members or individuallyremoving the hat retaining members with the hats thereon.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified form of hat retaining member in which asupporting member 30 is provided which has inturned edges engaged byfriction members 31 between which is a spring 32. The spring 32 urgesthe members 31 against the supporting member 30 to hold the hatretaining member in position. Finger pieces 33 are provided which arehinged at 34 and which may be pressed together to compress the spring 32and draw the members 31 together and away from the support 30 so thatthe hat retaining members may be moved up and down Within the hat box.

While I have described a preferred form of the invention, it will beunderstood that variations in structure may be made within the spiritand scope of the invention. It will be obvious that, while the oval formis preferred, I should not necessarily be limited to this exact shape.If desired, the portion of the bag adjacent the feet 21 may be flattenedto form a supporting surface instead of using separate feet.

What I claim is:

1. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces, a side member curvedto oval form connecting the end pieces. said side member having a dooropening therein, a door adapted to close said opening, a handle on saidside member, a circular hat retaining member, and means for holding saidhat retaining member in the box in inclined position.

2. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces, a side member curvedto oval form connecting said end pieces, said side member having anopening therein, a door for closing said opening, a circular hatretaining member having a diameter substantially equal to the major axisof said oval end pieces, and means to hold said hat retaining member inthe box in'inclined position.

3. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces, a side member curvedto oval form connecting the end pieces, said side member having anopening therein substantially parallel to a longitudinal plane throughthe major axis of the end pieces, a door adapted to close said opening,a handle on said side member substantially in alignment with saidlongitudinal plane, a circular hat retaining member having a diametersubstantially equal to the major axis of said oval end pieces, and meansto hold the hat retaining member in the box in inclined position. v

4. A hat box as set forth in claim 3 including feet on the curved sidemember opposite the handle for resting the hat box.

5. A hat box comprising end members of curved outline and a curved sidemember connecting the end members and having an opening therein, saidhat box being constructed opening and movable upwardly to uncover theopening when the hat box stands on end, curved hat retaining members,and means to support said hat retaining-members in in-v clined positionin said box so as to conform to the curvature of the side member.

6. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces, a side member curvedto oval form connecting the end pieces, said side member having anopening therein, said hat box being constructed to stand on end, saidopening being substantially parallel to a longitudinal plane through themajor axis of the end pieces, a door for closingsaid opening, said doorbeing movable upwardly to uncoverthe opening when the box stands on end,a handle on said side member substantially in alignment with saidlongitudinal plane, circular hat retaining members, and means to supportsaid hat .retaining members in inclined position in said box so as toconform to the curva-\ ture of the side member.

7. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces, a side member ofpliable material curved to oval form connecting said end pieces, saidside member having an opening therein, a door for closing said opening,a circular hat retaining member, and means for selectively and removablypositioning said hat retaining member in the box and holding the hatretaining member angularly with respect to said end pieces to contactand conform to the oval curvature of the side member whereby the hatretaining member serves to support the sidememberand the side memberserves to hold the hat retaining member in place. p

8. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces of equal size, a sidemember of pliable material curved to oval form connecting said endpieces,-said side member having an opening therein, a closure for saidopening, a supportmember in the hat box, a plurality of at retainingmembers comprising circular frame members of a diameter substantiallyequal to the internal width of the hat box measured along the major axisthereof, and

means for holding said hat retaining mem--- bers on said support memberand limiting movement thereof toward one end of the hat box to aninclined position in which the circular frame makes substantiallycomplete inside peripheral contact with the box whereby the hatretaining members support the side member, movement of the hat retainingmembers toward the other end of the hat box being restrained by saidside member when the hat boxiis closed.

9. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces of equal size, a sidemember of pliable material curved to oval form connecting said 1 endpieces, said'side member having an opening therein, a closure for saidopening, a support member in the hat box, a plurality of hat retainingmembers comprising circu lar frame members of a. diameter substantiallyequal to the internal width of the hat box measured along the major axisthereof, and means for holding said hat retaining members on saidsupport member and limit ing movement thereof toward one end of the hatbox to an inclined position in which the circular frame makessubstantially complete inside peripheral contact with the box wherebythe hat retaining members support the side member, movement of the hatretaining members toward the other end of the hat box being restrainedby said side member when the hat box is closed, and said support mem berbeing rigid and extending between and connected to said end pieces.

10.'A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces of equal size, a sidemember of pliable material curved to oval form connecting said endpieces, said side member having an opening therein, a closure for saidopening, a support member in the hat box, a plurality of bat retainingmembers comprising circular frame members'of a diameter substantiallyequal to the internal width of the hat box measured along the majoraxis' thereof, and means comprising recesses in said support member andpro'ngs on said hat retaining members for holding said hat retainingmembers on said support member and limiting movement thereof toward oneend of the hat box to an inclined position in which the circular framemakes substantially complete inside peripheral contact with the boxwhereby the hat retaining members support the side member, movement ofthe hat retaining members toward the other end of the hat box beingrestrained by said side member when the hat box is closed.

11. A hat box comprising a rigid frame member, spaced oval end piecessecured to said frame member, said frame member being secured to saidend pieces at one end of the minor axis of the oval, a side member ofpliable material connecting the end pieces and having an opening thereinopposite the frame member, a hat retaining member, and means formounting 'said hat retaining member on said frame member, said hatretaining member being held in position jointly by the frame member andthe side member whereby the hat retaining member constitutes a support.

the minor axis of the oval, a side member of pliable material connectingthe end pieces and having an opening therein opposite the frame member,a circular hat retaining member, and means for mounting said hatretaining member on said frame member in downwardly inclined positionwith the frame member vertical so that the horizontal projection of thehat retaining member is an oval corresponding to the oval cross-sectionof the hat box whereby the hat retaining member supports the side memberand the side mem ber holds thehat retaining member in position.

13. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces, a side member curvedto oval form connecting the end pieces, said side member having anopening therein, said hat box being constructed to stand on end, saidopening being substantially parallel to a longitudinal plane through themajor axes of the end pieces, a door for closing said opening, said doorbeing movable upwardly to uncover the opening-when the box stands onend, a handle on said side member substantially in alignment with saidlongitudinal plane, hat retaining members of circular form, and meansfor supporting said hat retaining members in said box in downwardlyinclined position so that the circular hat retaining members conform tothe oval shape of the box, the hat retaining members being held fromupward movement by contact with the side member.

14. A hat box comprising parallel end pieces having a curved outline, aside member of flexible material connecting the end pieces and curved toconform with said outline, said side member formed with an openingtherein, means for closing said opening, a hat retaining member having acurved outline, one of the axis of said hat retaining member beingsubstantially equal to one of the axis of said end pieces and the axisof said hat retaining member at right angles to the first mentioned axisbeing at least as long as the corresponding axis of said end pieces, andmeans for holding said hat retaining member in the box in such positionthat it has peripheral contact with the curved interior of said sidemember.

15. A hat box comprising parallel end pieces having a curved outline, aside member of flexible material connecting the end piecesand curved toconform with said outline, said side member formed with an openingtherein, means for closing said opening, a hat retaining member having acurved outline, one of the axis of said end pieces and the axis of saidhat retaining member at right angles to the first-mentioned axis beinggreater than the corresponding axis of said end pieces, and means forholding said hat retaining member in the box in inclined position sothat it has peripheral contact with the curved interior of said sidemember.

16. A hat box comprising parallel oval end pieces, a rigid memberconnecting and spacing said end pieces, a side member curved to ovalform secured to said end pieces, said side member having an openingtherein in alignment with one end of the respective minor axes of saidend pieces, a closure member adapted to close said opening, a handle onsaid side member substantially in alignsignature.

MABEL STRUBLE.

